Wagon-brake.



"Nu 796,328. PATENTED AUG'. 1, 1905.

w; H. HARRIS. WAGON BRAKE.

APP'LIGATION TILED 0012.7, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM H. HARRIS, OF NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OFI ONE-HALF TO HAYNE H. ABRAIVIS, OF NEWBERRY, SOUTH CARO- LINA. i

WAGON-BRAKE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

.Applioation filed October 7, 1904:. Serial No. 227,528.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newberry, in the county of Newberry and State 4of South Carolina, have invented new and useyanimals through the medium of the tongue or pole and one wherein the tongue may be locked to prevent operation of the brake when circumstances require.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the running-gear having the improved brale applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the y front axle of a running-gear, having journaled thereon transporting-wheels 2, and 3 the front hounds, which project in front and in rear of 'the axle 1 and have pivoted between their front ends on a horizontal transverse bolt or axle 4 to- Swing in a vertical plane a tongue or pole 5, there being journaled in bearings 6 at the rear ends of the hounds a brake-beam 7 provided with depending crank-arms 8, carrying brake-shoes 9, adapted when the beam 7 is rotated to move into and out of contact with the wheels 2. These parts, except as heretofore explained, may beyof the usual or any appropriate construction and material.

Fixed at the longitudinal center of the brake-beam 7 is a depending arm or portion 10, to the lower end of which is pivoted one end of a rigid traction rod or element 11, the other or forward end of which is pivotally connected with the lower end of an operating member or lever 12, which in turn is fulcrumed upon a bolt or axle 13 within a seat or recess 14, provided in a transverse Supporting-bar 15, fixed upon and sustained by the hounds 3 just forward of the axle 1.

The rear end of the tongue 5 is slotted longitudinally, as at 16, for the reception of the operating-lever 12, which normally stands at a downward and rear inclination, and within the slot 16 is arranged atransverse bearing member or bolt 17, designed to bear on the rear edge of the lever 12 in rear of and beneath its fulcrum 13, the upper forward end of the lever 12 being connected, by means of a normally expanded spring 18, with the vehicle-tongue at a point suitably remote from and in advance of the pivot 13.

Pivoted upon the upper` face of the tongue 5 is a transversely-disposed draft-bar 19 of usual construction, while upon the lower face of the tongue and adjacent to the forward terminals of the hounds3 is a locking member or button 20, adapted to be swung on its pivot to a position parallel with the tongue, as illustrated'by full lines in Fig. 2, or to the dottedline position shown in said figure, to lie transversely of the tongue for engagement with the adjacent portions of the hounds 3.

In practice, supposing the parts to be in the normal full-line position illustrated in Fig. 1 and the locking member 2O to be arranged parallel with the tongue, upward movement of the outer end of the latter will cause the rear end of the tongue to move downward and the bearing member 17 to act vupon the lever 12 for swinging the lower rear end of the latter forwardly and exerting a forward action upon the element 11 to thus rock the brakebeam 7 upon its axis through the medium of the arm 10 and movethe brake-shoes 9 into engagement with the wheels, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the lever 12 is swung to the dotted-line or braking position the spring 18 is placed under tension, whereby immediately upon the tongue 5 returning to normal position the spring will act upon the lever 12 for moving the brake-shoes to non-braking position. During the operation of the device if itvbe desirable to lock the parts to prevent movement of the brake-such, for instance, as while backing the vehiclethe member 20 may be turned on its pivot transversely of the tongue to thereby engage beneath the 'lower faces of the hounds 3 and prevent the upward tilting of the tongue necessary for actuating the brake.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple efficient device which in practice will admirably perform its functions to the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to without departingv from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- In a device of the. class described, a vehicle running-gear, a pvoted brake-beam carried thereby and provided with crank-arms carrying brake-shoes, a depending arrn fixed upon the beam, a pivoted operating-lever adapted to swing in a vertical plane, a rigid traction element connecting the lower ends of the arm and lever, a tongue pivoted to swing in a verl tical plane and having a bearing member dcsigned to act upon the lover for moving the parts to braking position, and a spring for rcturning the parts to non-braking position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my .signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM H. HARRIS. fitnessesz I. H. HUNT, M. C. LONG. 

